The present invention relates to a flat panel display device of the type having a plurality of parallel internal support walls which partition the device into a plurality of channels, and particularly to a structure for supporting a shadow mask in such a device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,582 issued to Anderson et al. on June 7, 1977 and entitled "Guided Beam Flat Display Device," and now the subject of reissue application Ser. No. 862,188, filed Dec. 19, 1977, discloses a shadow mask extending across each of the channels and mounted on the internal support walls. Details of how the shadow mask is supported on the support walls are not disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,145,633 issued to Peters et al. on Mar. 20, 1979 and entitled "Modular Guided Beam Flat Display Device" discloses a shadow mask extending between the internal support walls and metal tips so that the shadow mask is secured in spaced, parallel relation to the phosphor screen. A drawback of the Peters et al. structure is the complex retaining structure required to maintain the shadow mask between the metal tips and the support walls.